Direction-indicator for traction-engines.



J. M. CARLSON.

DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR TRACTION ENGINES.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 916. 1,271,851 Patented July 9,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

gmmbo'o JM, 62145011 I J. M. CARLSQN.

DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR TRACTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 5. 916. 1 ,27 1 ,85 1. Patented July 9, 1918.

\ 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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JOHN M. CAB SOEO S E ENNE, NORTH DAKOTA.

DIRECTION-INDICATOR FOB TRACTION-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1918.

Application filed May 5, 1916. Serial No. 95,619.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JoHN M. OAnLsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sheyenne, in the county of Eddy and State of North Dakota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDirection-Indicators for Traction-Engines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and. use the same.

This invention relates to a direction indicator or steering apparatusfor use on tractors, for indicating the direction to be taken by thetractor, and the primary object of the invention is to provide anindicator as specified which includes a rotat-ably Y mounted cam whichis connected to the supporting wheel of the indicator for synchronousmovement therewith, and which cam carries an indicating hand forindicating the direction to be taken by the tractor and further toconnect the cam operatively to the steering apparatus or mechanism ofthe tractor proper for controlling the movement of the cam and theindicating hand by the operation of the steering mechanism of thetractor.

With the foregoing and other objects in view this invention consists insuch novel features of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be hadto theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like andcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1is a plan view of the indicator showing it applied to a fragment of atractor.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the indicator independent of the tractor.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the indicator.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front end view of the indicator, and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a fragment ofa tractor of any ordinary construction which has a front bolster 2, anda shaft 3 which is 010- eratively connected to the steering post 4 ofthe tractor and 0 th flexible m mbers 5 which control the steeringmovement of the front wheels 6 of the tractor. The indicator which isgenerically indicated by the numeral 10, comprises a tube 11, which hasa plug 12 inserted in its rear end to which plug an eye-bolt 13 isconnected. The bolt 13 is adapted for extension through the frontbolster 2 of the tractor for connecting the indicator structure 10 tothe tractor. A block structure 14 is slidably mounted upon the tube 11.and comprises sections 15 and 16 which are held connected by means ofbolts 17. A bar 18 is connected to the block structure 14 as shown at19' and it has an eye-bolt 20 connected thereto which is also connectedto the front bolster 2. A contractile spiral spring 21 is connected tothe forwardly extending end of the bar 18 andit is connected to a loop22 formed upon a rod 23 which is connected to one corner of a sector 24.The sector 24 is mounted upon a rod 25 which is rotatably carried by theforward end of the indicator structure 10 and extends downwardly belowthe rod and through a bearing 26, and an angled bearing 27. The rod 25has its lower end angled for forming an axle for supporting thesupporting wheel 28 of the indicator structure. The supporting wheel 28is mounted upon the lower angled end of the rod 25 and is retainedthereon by a suitable clamp structure indicated at 29. The sector 24 isprovided with a groove 30 which is formed in its arouate end 31 whichreceives a cord or cable 32. The cord or cable 32 is connected to thehooked end 33 of the rod 23 and it extends about the curved face 30 ofthe sector 24 and roarwardly as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.The rear end of the cable or cord 32 is wound about and connected to theshaft 3 of the tractor structure so that it will be wound upon the shaftor permitted to unwind therefrom upon different directions of rotationof the the front wheel to the left, which will] wind the cable or cord82 upon the shaft and consequently pull the sector 33 around toward theleft which will also turn the front wheel 28 to the left and theindicat- 7 ing hand therewith.

be rotated in the direction for permitting of the unwinding of the cableor cord 32 therefrom, and the spring 21 will contract, which willpullthe' sector toward the right and consequently turn the rod 25 so asto cause the wheel 28 to travel toward the right direcartto which thisinvention appertains, and

while in the foregoing description, the principle of the operation ofthis invention has been. described together with various features ofconstruction, it is'to be understood that certain minor features ofconstruction,

combination and arrangement of parts may be altered to suit practicalconditions provided such alterations are comprehended Within the scopeof what is claimed.

-What is claimed is 1. In a'direction indicator for traction engines asupporting tube, a block structure 'slidably carriedby said tube, a barconnected to said'block structure, means carried by said tube and saidbar for connection with a tractor structure, a substantially verticalrod rotatably carried by the outer end of said tube structure, a sectormounted upon said rod for movement therewith, the lower end of said. rodbeing bent for formingasupporting axle, a supporting wheel. mounted uponsaid axle at the end of said rod,-a contractlle spring connected to saidbar and to said sector, means connected to the tractor steeringstructure for normally holding said wheel in a position parallel withthe line of travel of the tractor and against the con tra'cting actionof said spring, and an indicatingarm carried by the upper end of said arod' for movement therewith.

" tractile spring connected tosaid sector, said sector being providedwlth a concavearcu- 2. In a device as set forth, a vertical indieatingarm carrying rod, a sector mounted upon's aid rod for rotationtherewith, a,

guidingwheel carried by saidrod, a conate edge, a cable connected tosaid sector in close proximity to the connection between Copies of-thispatent may be obtained for guiding wheel mounted upon said axle, acontractile spring connected to said bar and to said sector, said sectorbeing provided with a concave arcuate edge, a cable con- "the sector andthe spring, said cable eXtend- 7 ing. about said concave arcuate edgeand adapted for connection with the steering 7 structure of atractor'for holding the sector against contracting action of said spring6 Then the tractor .issteered toward the right, the shaft 3 will andholding said wheel in a position parallel with the line of travel of thetractor;

3. In a device as set forth, an indicator structure including asupporting tube, a block structure 'slidably ca rried by said tube, abar connected to said block structure, means carried by said tube andsaid bar for connecting them with a tractor structure, a substantiallyvertical rod rotatably carried -by the outer end of said tube, a sector7 mounted upon said rod for-rotation therewlth, the lower end of sa drod being bent for'l'ornnng a supporting axle, a supporting nected tosaid sector in close proximity to the point of connection between thesector and said contractile spring, said; cable extending above saidconcave arcuate surface and adapted for connection wltlithe steeringstructure of a tractor for normally hol'd- 111g sald sector aga nstcontracting action of said spring and holding said wheel in a positionparallel with the line of travel of the tractor, and an'in'dicating armcarried by the upper end of said rod fonmovement therewith.

4. In a device as set forth, a supporting 9 shoe having a dependingbearing formed upon'its forward end, a vertical rod sup ported by saidbear1ng,a guiding wheel carried by the lower end of said rod, an indicator carried by the upper endof saidrod,

a sector mounted upon said rod, a cable attached to said sector near oneend'of the curved side thereof and extending about the curved side forrotatingthesectorand rod upon movement of the cabl e,a bar attached 'tosaid supporting shoe,' a contractile coil g connected to the forward endof said bar and to said sector in close proximity to the connectionbetween the cable and the sector, said spring'held'under tension by JOHNM. canteen.

signature WVitnesses:

Onm FULDnn, Geo. Benn. OUnnN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner oflatents, Washington,D. G. 1

